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Society

All articles tagged with #society

society1 hour ago•3 min saved

Inside the Agapemonites: A Victorian cult that barred leaving and profited from devotion

The Agapemonites, a little-known Victorian sect based at a Spaxton chapel near Bridgwater, forced members to remain within the group, had them hand over fortunes, and staged sex ceremonies under leader Henry James Prince, who claimed to be the Holy Spirit; inquests documented the cult’s strict control and several suicides. After Prince’s death in 1899, his successor John Hugh Smyth-Piggott proclaimed himself Jesus, triggering riots before the cult faded; the chapel later became a TV studio and is now an Airbnb frequented by visitors.

via BBC|

#agapemonites #henry-james-prince #john-hugh-smyth-piggott

society10 days ago•6 min saved

Londoners recount racist abuse as hate crime figures climb

Londoners share personal encounters with racist abuse—from a Walthamstow restaurant to a Wembley FA Cup incident—as Met Police data show racist hate crimes in London rose about 9% to nearly 18,000 in the last year; victims describe lasting impacts, including identity crises and fear, with communities offering support; police say they’re forming a detective-led hate crime team to improve investigations, though many incidents go unreported.

via BBC|

#community #hate-crime #london

society11 days ago•5 min saved

New report details widespread, injurious use of crowd-control weapons against anti-ICE protests

A joint report by Physicians for Human Rights and UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center documents 412 verified incidents of crowd-control weapon “misuse” at anti-ICE protests from June 2025 to May 2026, with at least 203 injuries including blindness and traumatic brain injuries. weapons ranged from teargas and pepper spray to rubber bullets, bean-bag rounds, stun grenades, and water cannons, used by DHS/CBP and local police. The study notes the true numbers are likely higher and links spikes to enforcement surges under former Border Patrol commander-at-large Greg Bovino; an interactive map accompanies the report. Two fatal shootings by immigration authorities were also reported in Texas and Maine.

via The Guardian|

#crowd-control #human-rights #immigration

society13 days ago•13 min saved

Street design may be widening America’s loneliness gap

A Nature Sustainability study argues that America’s loneliness problem isn’t just about individual social skills but about how suburbs are laid out—curving streets, cul-de-sacs, and car-centric homes reduce everyday interactions, increasing social isolation even if people aren’t physically far from others. The research distinguishes isolation from loneliness and notes that “garden-city” style configurations cut down casual encounters, suggesting redesigns could improve neighborly contact, though density or closeness alone doesn’t guarantee reduced loneliness.

via Space Daily|

#garden-city #loneliness #social-isolation

society21 days ago•48 min saved

Montgomery’s Truth-Telling Memorials Challenge America to Reckon with Slavery

In Montgomery, Alabama, Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative has built the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice to confront America’s history of slavery and racial terror. The episode details markers and a county-by-county layout, a Kwame Akoto-Bamfo sculpture, and a water wall that acknowledges thousands more lynching victims than can be documented. Stevenson argues that the nation’s history cannot be erased, that modern racial injustice grows from a dangerous white supremacist narrative, and that truth-telling and repair are essential to moving forward. As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, he emphasizes memory, education, and persistent justice work, and frames his American identity as inseparable from the enslaved ancestors who helped build the country.

via Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting|

#bryan-stevenson #equal-justice-initiative #lynching

society22 days ago•1 min saved

Flag snag sends skydiver into tent at Folsom Pro Rodeo; he walks away unscathed

A skydiver at the Folsom Pro Rodeo survived a crash landing when his American flag snagged on a tree, causing him to crash into a small tent. He was unharmed and, per organizers, will skydive again that night.

via ABC7 Los Angeles|

#flag #folsom #rodeo

society23 days ago•48 min saved

America's Ancestry Mosaic: How Immigrant Roots Built a Nation

An interactive New York Times map traces the United States' ancestry across nearly 200 origins and tens of millions of migrants over 250 years, showing how colonial settlement, waves of European and Asian immigration, and shifting laws shaped where groups settled and how Americans identify today, while noting ongoing demographic shifts and policy debates around future immigration.

via The New York Times|

#african-american #italian #mexican

society26 days ago•7 min saved

Naked Parade Moments at Seattle Pride Spark Controversy Near Children

Video from Seattle Pride shows nude marchers strolling the streets in front of children, fueling online backlash. The event featured participants from groups like Friends of Denny Blaine and included scenes near the city’s fountain; Seattle police say public nudity isn’t a crime by itself but can become indecent exposure if it alarmes others, with Washington state law outlining penalties. No arrests were immediately confirmed by officials.

via Fox News|

#indecent-exposure #lgbtq #nudity

society1 month ago•46 min saved

Video sparks debate after Texas restaurant asks breastfeeding mother to leave on Father’s Day

A mother says Nowhere Bar in Celina, Texas ejected her family on Father’s Day because she was breastfeeding. She refused to cover up, staff reportedly cited camera monitoring, and the owner offered to cover the bill but asked them to leave. The viral video has divided commenters over public breastfeeding, decency, and restaurant policy. Texas law allows breastfeeding in public locations, highlighting a broader cultural debate about feeding a baby in public.

via Yahoo|

#breastfeeding #fathers-day #nowhere-bar-celina

society1 month ago•5 min saved

Scottish massage therapists tighten rules on male clients after repeated inappropriate behaviour

Female massage therapists in Scotland report persistent inappropriate behaviour from male clients, with some banning new male clients or restricting men by referral. They call for standardized training and a governing body to handle incidents, noting there is currently no regulatory framework for massage therapy in Scotland and urging safer, clearer rules.

via BBC|

#harassment #massage #regulation

society1 month ago•2 min saved

Walmart EBT haul video stirs online debate on public benefits

An X-posted TikTok video shows a woman dancing in a Walmart checkout after an alleged $3,000 SNAP/EBT purchase; the $3,000 amount is unverified by the Daily Dot, and the clip has sparked online debate about public assistance, eligibility, and the challenges faced by beneficiaries, with commenters noting that social media posts often lack full context about household size and needs.

via The Daily Dot|

#debate #ebt #snap

society1 month ago•5 min saved

The American Dream Gets Personal: Freedom Takes Priority Over Milestones

A Simon-Kucher study finds the American dream is being redefined across generations, shifting from a uniform set of milestones to a focus on personal freedom and immediate financial security. Younger adults prioritize daily stability and meaningful experiences, while homeownership remains valued but harder to achieve amid rising costs and job insecurity, making the path to the dream less clear.

via USA Today|

#american-dream #cost-of-living #generational-differences

society1 month ago•21 min saved

Poverty in Iran Drives Children into Hidden Labor Across Sectors

Worsening poverty in Iran is pushing more children into labor across sectors such as slaughterhouses, farms, and workshops, including hidden workplaces away from public view. Families rely on their kids’ earnings to survive, exposing them to health risks, malnutrition, violence and exploitation while they miss schooling, underscoring broader welfare weaknesses and rising unemployment.

via ایران اینترنشنال|

#child-labor #economy #exploitation

society1 month ago•6 min saved

Britain's Bedroom Generation Locked Out of the Job Market

UK youth unemployment is at crisis levels, with about one million young people classified as NEETs. Stories like 25-year-old Dave and 20-year-old Lily-Rose reveal endless job applications, automated rejections from AI screening, and employers demanding prior experience even for entry roles. The Milburn report calls this a moral crisis and warns of long-term mental-health and wage setbacks, while a forthcoming update urges more effective government training schemes and evidence of their success to help young jobseekers re-enter the workforce.

via Dazed|

#mental-health #milburn-report #neets

society1 month ago•6 min saved

Veteran NY News Anchor Bill Ritter Shifts Focus After Alzheimer's Diagnosis

Longtime WABC Eyewitness News anchor Bill Ritter announced he is stepping away from anchoring after an early-stage Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He will stay with Eyewitness News in a new reporting role focused on the disease’s impact on patients and families, treatment costs, and caregiving, while continuing to mentor younger journalists and appear on air and online.

via ABC7 Eyewitness News|

#alzheimers-disease #bill-ritter #eyewitness-news